52 // VARSITY March 13, 2014
INSIDE
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Distance duo to pace No. 4
Badgers at NCAA meet
Ahmed and Connor lead Wisconsin's efforts
BY AJ HARRISON @BADGER_TRACK
T
hroughout the years, the
Wisconsin men's track
and field team has been
known for its dominance in
the distance events.
This year is no different.
Even though the No. 4 Badgers
have only two athletes in the
distance events at this week-
end's NCAA championships,
Wisconsin expects to collect
points thanks to the senior
duo of Reed Connor and Mo-
hammed Ahmed.
Ahmed, a 2012 Olympian
and two-time Canadian cham-
pion in the 10,000 meters, will
run in the 5000. Ahmed won
the 2014 Big Ten title in the
event with a time of 13 min-
utes, 44.32 seconds, which
ranks 12th nationally. The se-
nior placed fifth at last year's
NCAA meet in the 5000, clock-
ing in at 13:41.84 to earn All-America
honors.
"Ahmed has found his groove late in
the season," Wisconsin director of cross
country and track & field Mick Byrne
said. "He battled a hamstring injury
last month, but overcame it and looked
strong at the Big Ten meet."
Connor will double in both the 3000
and 5000 meters, a combination that he
conquered at the Big Ten championships.
Connor won the 3000, while his second-
place showing in the 5000 helped the
Badgers win their second-straight con-
ference crown. Connor has the nation's
best time in the 5000 meters of 13:37.42,
a time that is the fourth-fastest in the
world this year.
Byrne was very impressed with the se-
nior's showing in the 5000 meters at the
Big Ten meet.
"I know he wanted to go after Moham-
med, but it was more important that he
stay back and didn't take the rest of the
field into the race and go after Moham-
med," Byrne said. "He also played a big
part of pulling Malachy Schrobilgen, a
redshirt freshman, back into that 5000
meters, and I think Malachy fed off of
Reed's energy."
Byrne believes both runners, who will
compete in their last indoor national
meet, complement each other on the
track.
"They help each other out," Byrne
said. "But on Friday night when they get
on the 5000 meters, they're going to try
to win that race. They're going to try to
score big points for us. But they are great
friends, great teammates."
SCHEDULE
COMING UP
March 14-15 NCAA Championships
